Page 169 - Consolidated submissions_Neatand

HiHiHs*** Reply 5

From: Clerk
Sent: Monday, September 24, 2018 11:29 AM
To: 'Michael Comer'
Subject: FW: Help please

Dear Mr Comer,
Apologies, if you had been expecting a further reply. The Village Council and its Panning Committee has met
and considered the application for the EDF/Wealden House site and its recommendation has been
submitted. As frustrating as the process may be, parish councils do not have any powers to be able to
intervene with the planning decision process. The Planning Committees response recommended refusal and
provided a detailed response as to its reasons for this and how the proposed application did not meet with
the policies of the Neighbourhood Plan.
To try to answer your question regarding the Neighbourhood Plan. Preparing the Neighbourhood Plan and
its supporting documents took about four years of work and the Plan does outline the process and legal
requirements which were followed (section 2). We engaged with a planning consultant to get the best
advice which we could and the Plan went through a rigorous examination process. Neighbourhood Plans are
not to be designed and seen as restrictive, but more to shape the type of development by focusing on local
issues through its policies and supporting the strategic needs set out in District Plan and plan positively to
support local development that is outside the strategic elements of the development plan.
Whilst the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group would have liked to have been specific to the number of
dwellings on some possible sites, this would be seen to be restrictive and would not comply with other
planning policies in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the District Plan. The Plan needs to
draw a balance on what it should meet and the local issues.
When the Examiner considered the Plan, he did refer the EDF/Wealden site as a site that had significant
potential capacity' but also acknowledged the environmental challenges. The plan has tried to address
these issues through its policies and MSDC will need to consider these.
I will forward a copy of this email to the Councillors for their information.
Kind regards
Caroline

Caroline Leet
Clerk, Ashurst Wood Village Council
Tel: 01342 823770
20-22 Maypole Road, Ashurst Wood, West Sussex, RH19 3QN
www.ashurstwood-vc.gov.uk

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